A thousand eyes…
A Revolution fic (No blackout Au): Sebastian (Bass) Monroe/Charlotte (Charlie) Matheson; Charloe.
Charlie is used to the limelight… as a daytime TV weather girl, she is used to being sent all over the world, talking about the weather in Chicago and the US while climbing mountains in Canada, snorkelling in the Bahamas, feeding pelicans in Tasmania, bungee jumping in New Zealand or swinging on a trapeze in Venezuela… Unfortunately, somewhere along the way she had acquired an obsessed and obviously very disturbed admirer. Her boss insists on hiring her a bodyguard, turning to the best in the business, her ex boyfriend and former Marine turned private security operative, Sebastian Monroe…
Rating M
Authors note: Thanks for reading – and for your lovely comments and reviews… The title of the chapter is from a song by Cathy Dennis and Rob Davis and was recorded by Kylie Minogue…I hope you enjoy it, Cheers, Magpie
A thousand eyes
Chapter 4… I can't get you out of my head...
Bass reacted unbelievably fast to the sound of shots… pushing her to the ground before she realized what was happening, his heavy body falling next to hers, one of his arms under her, protecting her head and face from the tiles, his weight shoving most of the breath out of her but his other hand landing flat on the ground next to her waist, keeping his full weight from landing on her…and all around there were screams, shouts and the sound of running feet; a surreal cacophony…
Charlie felt something hot and wet dripping down onto her arm from somewhere above and she could see red out of the corner of her eye…'Bass… Bass… are you ok?' She had landed face down and was desperately trying to twist around, trying to see something, anything except the tiles but not able to move he was so heavy, his body alongside and leaning on her, his long legs twined with hers keeping her down… She nearly cried with relief when he answered, his voice sounding tinny and echoing close to her ear after all the noise…
'You hurt, Charlie?'
'No, no, I'm ok, but what about you…?'
'Stay there, stay down, wait till we get an all clear from the guys…' She felt him twist around so he could look back up along the hall…
She could feel more blood drip onto her from him, hot life falling out…God, please let him be all right… 'You're bleeding, Bass…'
He shifted a bit so that his weight wasn't so much on her, but he kept his arm over her, holding her in place on the cold tiles, his body a shield along hers… 'It's alright, a bullet skimmed my arm and I'm bleeding a bit, that's all, it's nothing, Charlie…'
'Someone shot at us Bass, with a gun…' Charlie didn't know what to think; this was like some crazy dream - and Bass was hurt, because of her…
He chuckled, his chest moving against her, reassuring in its solid warmth, the steady heartbeat…'Well, at least we know we've got his attention…'
Charlie could hear sirens getting closer… then footsteps padding quickly towards them across the tiles… She tensed but felt Bass relaxing his arm, letting her up; whoever it was must be ok then... She twisted round onto her side, peered up and over the blood stained sleeve of his jacket and saw Jeremy coming up the hall at a fast trot, his face turning anxious as he saw the blood on both of them. Behind him she could see people milling around the front doors of the restaurant… and there was someone face down on the ground, hands clasped behind their head, Connor and another man standing next to him, keeping everyone back…
'It's alright, we're both ok Jeremy; what's happening…?' Bass pushed himself up with his good arm, getting to his feet in an easy stretch…then reaching down to help Charlie up…
'Hey Boss…Ambulance is on it's way' Jeremy leaned over to inspect Bass' upper arm, holding out a wad of paper towel torn from a roll under his arm… Blood was welling from a shallow furrow across the muscled bicep and trickling down in a steady stream, the wound visible between the torn and burned edges of the suit and shirt fabric, but Jeremy grunted in relief…'You'll live, it'll just be another pretty scar to impress the ladies…'
Bass took the paper towel, grinning and slapping it over the injury, holding it hard against the wound… 'Don't need scars, Jer, they love me anyway…'
Jeremy rolled his eyes…'Dick…' then he turned to Charlie next, eyes running over her in a completely business like sweep, checking for signs of injury… 'You sure you're ok Miss Matheson?'
Charlie nodded…'I'm fine…it's all Bass' blood…' she stepped closer to Bass, reaching up to hold onto the paper wadding…'Here, let me…' she looked up at him, lips tight although her eyes were steady…'don't worry, I never faint…'
Bass grinned at her…'that's my girl…' then he looked back at Jeremy and tipped his head towards the door 'is that the shooter…?'
Jeremy nodded…'just the one guy as far as we can see…Connor and Jim are on him, they're waiting on the cops, Jim's having a look around, asking if anyone in the buildings near here saw anybody coming out of the restaurant before the shooting… Oh…Will found a thousand in twenty's and a photo of Miss Matheson in the guy's pocket ' Bass lifted an eyebrow…' Jeremy grinned… 'Don't worry, he put it all back, Boss, I watched him, cops won't even know he was there… The perp looks like he's seriously off his face on something though, don't know if he even remembers his name…' he shrugged, catching Bass' eye, his own serious this time… 'You were lucky; he was probably seeing six of you and couldn't tell which ones to aim at first. Connor and I were just heading out here to check on you two and saw Scanlon behind the guy – he'd followed him in from the street, thought he looked suspicious… We all tackled him as soon as he pulled the gun out…' he frowned 'not quick enough though… bastard still got a couple of shots off...sorry…'
Bass looked over at the prone figure…'It's ok…I should have planned better, I wasn't expecting our main guy to escalate things so quickly…Any ID on this one?"
'Nope…' Jeremy frowned 'Caucasian, mid-thirties but looks older; thin, bad teeth and his clothes are pretty crappy, definitely not designer crappy, no phone, no wallet, prison ink and tracks on both arms although Connor thinks he looks and sounds more like he's on Ice…'
'Stooge?'
'Yeah, looks like it, and even if this guy owns a tv, he doesn't look like the type to give a crap about the weather, as long as there's ice and snow…'
Charlie looked up at each of them, curious; then looked back at the pad of paper, folding a dry piece over the top… blood was beginning to seep through onto her fingers…'What's a stooge?'
Jeremy handed Bass another piece of paper towel and as Charlie lifted her hand off Bass reached under hers to put the new pad on top of the wound, wincing a little as he pressed down on it hard… 'It means he's almost certainly not our guy… he's just been paid by our guy to do this…' he looked down at the ruined sleeve 'Shit, look at that… and I liked this suit…' then he looked at Charlie…'it does sort of make me think that Penny might have something…'
'You mean about Jason's dad?'
He shrugged…'maybe… although I'm kind of leaning towards mommy dearest for this one, Tom seemed to me to be the kind of guy who likes to do his own dirty work…'
The sirens were getting louder, one stopping outside the door, a police car… Jeremy gave her a half grin, slapped Bass on his good arm and headed back to meet them, at the same time Charlie' phone began demanding attention, Katy Perry's 'Roar' starting low and getting insistently louder… Charlie looked down in dismay…'it's Duncan…what do I tell her?'
He chuckled...'tell her not to worry, we're fine – but maybe she should announce that she's giving the Scottish gig to baby Neville'
Charlie's face fell… 'Oh… I was really looking forward to going…'
He shook his head…'Sorry Charlie, but I think you're going to have to lie low for a while – the station needs to show that it's protecting you – and their other staff - and if baby Neville's on the job but the threats and letters keep coming it'll tell us a bit more about who it is or who it isn't at least…'
Charlie stared at him then nodded 'ok…'…then lifted the phone to her ear…'Hi Duncan…?'
'Charlie? Are you ok?' Duncan sounded quite unlike her usually calm self; in fact she sounded almost frantic… 'We've got a report in of a guy shooting a gun inside the restaurant you were going to…what happened? Did they get him?'
'We're fine D, really, and yes, they caught him…Bass got in front of me, pushed me down…he made sure I was ok… but he's hurt…'
'Is he? How bad?'
'Well he's bled all over me…' she gave Bass a sympathetic smile…'and it looks pretty sore but he's standing up and making jokes so I think he's ok… there's an ambulance coming and the cops are here now too, talking to the guy who shot at us, Bass' guys are there but I guess they'll want to talk to us too…'
'I'm sure they will, I'm just glad you're ok…' Her voice went quiet… 'Charlie, I'm really, really sorry darling but I'm going to have to put you on leave until we get all this sorted out, I need to keep the network out of it as much as I can…'
Charlie sighed…'I know… Bass thinks you should give the job to Jason…to see if the letters and stuff keep coming'
'Yeah… that had already occurred to me ' her voice was hard as she said that… 'Will you talk to Jason though? You know he won't come on board unless he thinks you're ok with it – thinks he's being loyal or something' she huffed…'honestly I have no idea how those parents of his managed to produce someone as sweet as Jason…' she sighed, her breath heavy over the phone…'oh and text Penny will you? I made her go home but she's really worried. We'll try and keep things as quiet as she can at this end, you know, tell people you're ok – just going off on a wild long weekend with your new guy, while the police sort things out…something like that…'
Charlie went very still…'Would you mind very much if that was what happened, D?'
There was silence for a moment, then another sigh…'Shit… he's got to you already hasn't he, wait, don't answer that, not if he's standing right there…and no, I don't mind, anything between us was over a long, long time ago… Just… be careful Charlie? Don't expect too much? And if you want my advice enjoy the ride but keep your heart out of it…'
Charlie glanced up at Bass; he was just standing there, looking down at her, his hand holding the pad in place over the wound he'd got protecting her, his eyes that beautiful, lamp lit blue… and she had a feeling that it was too late…that ship had already sailed… She smiled up at him…'Thanks D… and I'll be careful, you know me, I've always got a plan b…' she looked away…yep… good old plan b, although she wasn't sure that cold showers and vodka were going to cut it this time… Another siren wound to a stop out the front – ambulance this time…'Gotta go now D, the Ambo's are here… I'll let you know what happens and I'll catch up with Jason and Penny, ok? Big hug and bye for now…' She hung up…
Two ambulance officers came in through the door and headed for them, several uniformed Police just behind, Jeremy talking to them as they came…
…..
They were all back in the small lounge, Connor, Jim and Will on guard outside the door. Bass, Charlie were sitting down and Jeremy, three uniformed policemen and two plain clothes detectives who'd been called in because of the possible connection to her stalker were standing in a huddle near the door.
The detectives as well as the uniformed cops were about ready to leave again; the shooter had already been taken down to the station for more questioning but there was little for them to go on, the photo wasn't traceable, nor was the money; the gun was unregistered and the shooter couldn't remember much about who had paid him, saying only that he'd been approached while he was sitting in a nearby park a little while before by a man who'd offered him a job scaring his ex wife by shooting at her… Then when he'd said ok, because hey, what the hell; the man had given him a little something to tide him over, then passed him a package with the money, gun and photo with the promise of another thousand for him after the job…
As the cops left, leaving the three of them sitting around the coffee table, one of the Ambos leaned on the back of a couch writing notes, the other, an older woman, solid and reassuring in her uniform, was busy tending to Bass.
Jeremy grimaced…'what an idiot…'
Bass snorted… 'As if our guy would wait around to give him more money with cops swarming around the place' he winced a little as the woman cut the sleeve off his jacket and the shirt underneath…
She scowled, but her lips were smiling, warm brown eyes twinkling at him, dark brown skin crinkling at the corners…'don't be such a baby, big strong man like you…? It's just a little bitty scrape… She put a dressing on then started wrapping a bandage round it…
Bass shook his head sadly, checking out the woman's name badge…'It's not my arm, Claire… It's my suit, I loved this suit…' He was sitting on the same couch that Charlie had been lying on not that long ago while he… She looked over at him and he grinned, eyes wicked blue, his free hand rubbing little circles on the leather – just where her ass had been… She bit her lip to keep from laughing; the man was incorrigible…
Claire looked at Bass then Charlie – her brows lifted and brown eyes twinkling… then she tied the dressing off with a flourish, snapped her gloves off and patted Bass' rounded, muscled shoulder with a plump brown hand… 'There you are, nearly good as new, the dressing's waterproof, leave it on for seven days then get the wound checked out by your doctor. Any sign of fever, go sooner, you'll need some antibiotics…otherwise, you two can get back to enjoying your night…' she sighed…'Why anyone'd want to shoot a fine looking man like you is beyond me…' she slanted a curious glance at Charlie…'unless they were jealous maybe?'
Charlie looked away, the reality of what a bodyguard did suddenly crashing down on her… Bass had stood between her and someone who was trying to hurt her; he'd been hurt protecting her, he could have been killed….
'Hey…Charlie…' he was suddenly in front of her, kneeling, taking her hands…'what's wrong?'
Tears sprang up in her eyes and she couldn't stop them…shit… she didn't cry, she hated women who cried at everything…'I… I don't know, I don't usually do this, it's so stupid…'
He let go one of her hands and reached forward to tip her chin up…'It's just reaction Charlie…it's ok…' he pulled his head back so he could see her face…'everyone does this after they've been shot at for the first time…' he smiled as she sniffed…'Hey…don't worry, I'll tell everyone you were a complete badass…'
Jeremy passed a box of tissues over, Bass let her go and she took a tissue, blowing her nose hard… then Jeremy nodded, his face solemn… 'It's true… everyone cries…you should have seen Bass the first time… He was a mess, bawling all over the place, honestly I was embarrassed…'
Charlie choked off a laugh…'Yeah, I bet….' She looked around… Claire and the other Ambo were looking at her, then at each other…
Claire came over…'are you ok sweetheart? Do you want something to help you sleep tonight?'
Charlie looked up and shook her head…Hell no… She was looking forward to taking up where she and Bass had left off, no way did she want to go to sleep in a haze…'No… but thanks anyway, I'll be ok, I just want to go back to our hotel…' she turned to Bass…'Can we go now Bass?'
He nodded… 'Yeah…' he turned to Jeremy…'Jer, would you get the car and bring it round the back?'
Jeremy nodded, turning to go 'sure thing…I'll take the two of you, Conner, Will and Jim will follow along in the other car…'
Bass stood up…'Wait up, Jeremy…' he fished in his pants pocket and pulled out a key… handing it to the other man…
Jeremy took it reluctantly… 'Why are you giving this to me Boss, you know bikes make me nervous, especially that one…'
Bass smirked…'Now who's being a pussy… tell Connor his dreams have come true, he can go fill her up then ride Baby to the hotel for me…' he started to turn back to Charlie then frowned over his shoulder… 'But tell him to be careful, if I find one scratch…' he tailed off…
Jeremy backed away…'I know, I know, I'll tell him…'
Charlie looked from Bass to Jeremy then back… 'Baby?'
…
At last they were back in their suites at the hotel and while Bass organized a watch schedule with Jeremy in the adjoining suite, Charlie undid the straps on her shoes, kicked them off then sat down on one of the little couches in the lounge area and called room service… Neither she nor Bass had eaten anything yet and she was dying for a cup of green tea… although she ordered a bottle of whiskey as well, she figured they deserved it…
She sat back for a minute and took a few deep breaths… what a night; then she grinned… Wow…she'd always wanted adventure, had never balked at anything the station asked her to do – in fact the more extreme the more she liked it, but this, this was truly exciting, and she got to spend more time with Bass - On the other hand she hoped they caught her stalker soon, she didn't want anyone else getting hurt…
She went into her bedroom, and stripped, then let her hair out of its pins, running her fingers over her scalp in relief, she loved her hair up but it felt much better loose… Sadly it looked like the dress was ruined; blood had soaked into the bodice and down the sides in stiffening blotches and the stockings had runs in them from her close contact with the floor… She folded everything up and put it in a laundry bag then pulled out a pair of track pants and a tank, from her suitcase, jumping in for a quick shower to get rid of the blood on her arm before getting changed… She didn't usually wear anything to bed but didn't know how long Jeremy was going to be here. He was nice but damn she wanted him gone…
Sitting back in the lounge, Charlie tucked her feet underneath her, got her phone out and sent a text to Penny, letting her know she was ok and back at the hotel, it was nearly midnight but Penny was a late night sort of girl and would be waiting to hear… Jason was a different matter… Jason kept morning show hours even though he didn't have to get up at three am for a make up call at the moment, so he'd be asleep now… She sent him a text anyway, telling him that she wanted him to take the job; that she would be pissed off if he didn't…
Then she sat looking at the screen, part of her so wanted to know what people were saying but another part didn't… She knew that her agent would take care of the necessary things, press releases and statements, keeping her out of it as much as possible, making sure that they played out the best angle for her career, after all that's what she paid him for… and Duncan would have her back, once this was all over… and if she couldn't? Well she could always write a book about this, and she had money put away, enough to do whatever she wanted for quite a while… She put the phone down and rested her head back on the soft cushions behind her…
Her mind did a re-run of what she and Bass had done together in the little room at the restaurant and she ran her tongue over her lips… That was something she wouldn't forget for quite a while, if ever… She licked her lips… one hand trailing down over her breasts, idly stroking, the other creeping downwards… She sat up for a moment and checked, it all seemed quiet next door; no voices - and she thought she could hear the shower going…
She leaned back again, her hand stroking downwards… remembering his lips taking the same path, his tongue leaving a silken trail as it moved down towards her pussy lips, the feel of his mouth on her skin… on her clit… his fingers moving inside her, her back arched and she stretched out on the couch… Damn it she should be on the bed but somehow she wanted to meet him on some sort of neutral ground, she didn't want to make it too easy… She sat up… who was she fucking kidding, she wanted to jump his bones as soon as he appeared and didn't care a fig if he knew it…
There was a knock on the front door and a voice announcing room service, sounding muffled behind the heavy door…
Charlie stood up and adjusted her clothes… She didn't want to flash the hotel staff - or any of Bass' guys who happened to be on watch out there… She walked across to the door and was just reaching out for the catch when a large hand reached around from behind her and gripped her wrist, his other arm wrapping round her waist from behind and she found herself dragged back against a damp and very naked torso… She sucked in a breath…'What are you doing, Bass? It's just room service'
'Charlie, wait…you've gotta get smarter about this… Someone just shot at you, what if they've found out that you're here at this hotel and they're pretending to be room service…
Shit… now she felt stupid…'Oh, sorry…' she turned around in his arms and met his eyes, swimming blue with little rivulets of water running down into them from the curls of his wet hair…
He looked down at her…'It's ok, and I'm sorry I grabbed you but it's my job to keep track of things like that…'
'It was my fault Bass… I didn't think, I won't do it again…' she looked down, following the droplets down over his strong neck, broad, finely muscled shoulders, the lovely planes of his chest with the round bronze coins of his nipples puckered in the cool air, the chiseled abs – a six pack - and flat stomach with the belly button standing out proud… and then, damn it all, the edge of a white towel, wrapped firmly around his waist… He smelled clean and totally, deliciously male… she reached a finger out and ran it around the little dome of the button, slanting a teasing grin up at him '…you're an outy Bass…' she let her finger drop lower, following the trail of light brown hair leading down… hooking the edge of the towel and pulling him closer…
He grinned down at her… 'Yeah, my mom thought it looked good on babies…' then he caught her straying hand in his and tipped his head towards the door…'room service, remember?'
Charlie sighed…'Ok, so what do we do?'
'Stand back Charlie…please?' Bass moved to the side of the door, hooked the security chain across and opened the door a crack…
Charlie could see part of the smiling face of a Filipino steward and a sliver of the covered trolley that he was pushing, Jeremy's face just visible behind the man…
Bass smiled out through the crack…'just put in on the floor would you? My friend will bring it in for us'
The face nodded and put a heavy laden tray down on the floor, Jeremy came up to him, passed the man a tip as he left, then Bass opened the door…
Jeremy had a look under each cover, lifting a sandy brow at the bottle of whiskey and another at Bass standing in the doorway in his towel… 'Looks ok to me, Boss…' he nodded to Charlie who'd come up behind Bass… 'You want me to come in and make sure he puts some clothes on, Miss Matheson?'
Charlie laughed… 'Thanks, Jeremy, but I was trying to get the towel off him when all this arrived'
He grinned back at her…'Thats funny… I've never known him to be shy before, wait till I tell Will…'
Bass groaned…'Hey… Charlie, I've got a reputation to maintain here…'
She bent down and picked up the whiskey, slanting a grin up at him… 'I'll pour us a drink, Bass would you bring the tray in please?' she turned and walked back into the room…'Goodnight Jeremy'
Jeremy's grin couldn't have been any wider…'and to think I was worried that you were taking advantage of her…' he chuckled and picked up the tray, handing it to Bass who took it without smiling…
'Be careful Jer, or I'll make you ride Baby all the way to the beach house tomorrow'
The grin faded…'you wouldn't…'
Bass smiled tightly…'Oh yes I would…' he walked into the room and the door swung shut behind him leaving Jeremy out in the hall…
….
Inside, Charlie had already poured herself a drink, downed it and had one ready for Bass… She looked up at him as he walked towards her with the tray, her eyes glinting with laughter and excitement…
He put the tray down on the coffee table and she handed him his drink… her eyes drinking him in… He slung it back and put the glass down… then he smiled his wicked smile and undid the towel, letting it fall to the ground at his feet…
Charlie sucked in a breath as she looked at him, standing beautifully hard and ready in front of her…smiling that gorgeous smile; and she reefed her tank up and over her head, flinging it vaguely in the direction of her room, then stood in front of him, her eyes hot, her breasts bouncing a little, gradually slithering the waistband of her track pants down over her hips and lower until they fell in a little pile around her feet. She stepped out of them one foot at a time then kicked them in the same direction as her tank… and took a step towards him…'the couch, the floor or the bed first Bass?'
He laughed and suddenly he was there in front of her…his strong hands gripping her hips, lifting her up and swinging her round against the wall of the bedroom, his arms sliding underneath her thighs, opening her up and spreading her out for him…
She gasped and flung her legs around his waist as her back landed against the wall hard… the head of his hard and ready cock sliding through the cheeks of her ass and sinking into her, spreading and stretching her out and it felt so good she thought she would burst then and there, she slid down onto him, her legs clinging to his hips and ass as he held her up high enough for him to keep plunging in and out…her hair swinging round his face, his lips searching for her breasts and mouth… both of them panting and slipping against the wall and suddenly he was lifting her higher again, carrying her towards the bedroom…
He laid her back on the bed, pulling out of her to do it, keeping his eyes on hers as she reached out for him, wanting him back inside… he chuckled, climbed up onto the bed and knelt over her, his body stretching out over her like a dream of sin…then he bent down and licked a line up from the sensitive skin over her hip to the even more sensitive skin of her nipple, sucking and biting gently on one then the other…
Charlie shivered in pleasure and ran her hands up and over the taut muscles of his arms to his shoulders, running round his neck and playing with the damp curls on his skull…
He bent lower… licking and biting down the centre of her body, staying to sink his tongue into her belly button, then going lower still, leaning back until he could reach her pussy with his lips, his shoulders going under her knees, lifting her up so that he could reach all of her, sucking and playing with the little ridge and nub of her clit, delving into her depths with his tongue…
She arched her back… her arms stretching back over her head in a bow that ended in him… and he laughed against her flesh, the vibrations of it rippling through her like wonderful music…
Then he let her hips down, easing one of her legs up and over his shoulder… and he smiled down at her, his eyes lit hot with their electric blue, reached down with his hand, placed his cock where his tongue had just been and plunged into her again, stretching her out and filling her, his eyes going hazy with sensation and pleasure, the smooth, hard planes of his body moving above her in a wave of strong, lovely, male flesh…
Charlie felt him inside of her moving in and back, her belly rising and falling, filling and falling as he moved in and out and she tightened her leg over his shoulder, pulling him in closer, wanting more of him…
Their rhythm got faster, more frantic… both of them panting, both moving together as they headed for the brink... then Bass slowed, a question in his eyes…'Charlie…?'
She stroked her hands up his arms to his face, holding him close inside with her legs…'It's ok Bass…you don't need to stop…'
He leaned down and kissed her, his lips on hers…soft and hard at the same time… then he plunged back in and she gasped again as she felt him swell even bigger inside her, neither holding back as they moved together into a delirium of want and need, moving faster and faster, until Charlie felt him burst inside her as she came apart around him…
…..
A little later…Charlie lay in Bass' arms, her head pillowed on his shoulder, her arm across his chest, idly playing with the little hairs that scattered across it, her leg across his, her knee gently nudging his cock… which was responding very nicely, thickening as she watched…
She reached over and kissed him, his lips familiar now, the feel of his scruff on her cheeks a sweet burning that she could feel between her legs too… she smiled against his mouth….'What are we going to do tomorrow Bass? Apart from more of this I mean…' she slid her hand down and over his chest and belly, sliding it over the velvet skin of his hardening cock…
He looked at her, his eyes teasing… 'Do you like motorbikes Charlie?'
She chuckled…'Only if they're big and bad, Bass…'
He lifted her over him so that she straddled, then sank onto him…'Then I'll take you for a ride on Baby…'
….
AN: Hi folks, thanks for reading again, and I hope a longer chapter made up for the wait on this… cheers, Magpie